Cuenca

Cuenca is the third largest city in Ecuador and the capital of the Azuay province. It's a half our flight or a 10 hour drive from Quito through the avenue of the volcanoes. Cuenca is a beautiful colonial and university city with narrow cobblestone streets, red tiled roofs and well-preserved buildings. A Cuenca city tour will show tourists the main colonial sites along with the city's Panama hat factory. Visitors should note that Panama hats are not from Panama , but from Ecuador. They originate in Montecriste, which is on Ecuador's coast, though Cuenca is also a very good place to purchase the hats. The main tourist attractions outside Cuenca include the Inca ruins of Ingapirca (the best ruins in Ecuador), and Tomebamba, 60km to the north. Las Cajas National Park is nearby, offering a beautiful part of Ecuador in which to go trekking or camping. Cuenca's climate is spring-like for most of the year.

Hotels in Ecuador: Cuenca

Mansion Alcazar Hotel - the best hotel in Cuenca, the Mansion Alcazar is located a few blocks from Cuenca’s main square. This hotel is a restored, colonial mansion with an open-galleried courtyard. The hotels ten rooms and five suites have extremely ornate furnishings. There is a lounge set around a central fountain with a reading room and a peaceful garden to the rear.

Santa Lucia Hotel - the second best hotel in Cuenca, this beautifully restored colonial mansion is situated in the heart of colonial Cuenca. The hotels 20 rooms, are decorated tastefully. Dinner is taken in the central courtyard restaurant, which contains a 100 year old tree.

El Dorado Hotel - the El Dorado is a modern hotel located in central Cuenca. There are 92 rooms and facilities include a gym, sauna and massage area.